It is well-known in the art that various excitation sources may be used to fluoresce the characteristic X-radiation of unknown elements that may be present in a sample specimen and thereby identify them. In accordance with this well-known energy dispersal spectrometry method, various kinds of detector systems are utilized to measure the energy level and intensity of the X-ray photons that are emitted from the sample, and which, identify the elements and indicate their concentration. Representative prior art systems are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,154,684, 3,621,245, and 3,196,272. However, the prior art does not address the problem of obtaining analytical results under commonly encountered field conditions where the specimen is obscured or remotely located, or where the parts cannot be sectioned or transported for analysis in the laboratory. Existing systems are designed primarily for laboratory and stationary use and their size and weight renders them nonportable and thereby inherently unsuitable for field use.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a self-supporting, portable, chemical analyzer useful for on-the-spot analysis of unknown specimens under field conditions even where such specimens are obscured or located in remote locations. Another object of this invention to provide a system that is not dependent on consumable cryogenic fluids and is utilizable with streamlined analytical procedures without affecting the quality of the analysis. A further object of this invention is to provide a system capable of continuously monitoring specimens.